Moving to China from United Kingdom
What to Expect
Considering a move from United Kingdom to China? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from United Kingdom to China, you would find that China is 64.5% cheaper than United Kingdom overall. A £57,000 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly CN¥180,000 in China to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between United Kingdom and China.
What does your salary buy?
£57,000 → CN¥180,000
To maintain the same standard of living in China
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 76.8% less
Groceries
pay 37.0% less
Transportation
pay 60.6% less
Housing
pay 77.9% less
Childcare
pay 49.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 58.3% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in China cost about 56% less than cities in United Kingdom.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from United Kingdom to China.
Who's moving to China?
Top countries of origin for China's foreign-born residents.
- 303,095
- 209,555
- 144,831
- 57,602
- 56,657
- 30,811
- · · ·
-
11.7,061
United Kingdom
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in China compared to United Kingdom.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United Kingdom generally does better on safety, though China leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United Kingdom performs better than China across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
United Kingdom generally does better on infrastructure, though China leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
United Kingdom generally does better on employment & economy, though China leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
United Kingdom performs better than China across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), HM Revenue & Customs (2016), State Administration of Taxation (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | London | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | London | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) |
| Feb | 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) |
| Mar | 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) |
| Apr | 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) |
| May | 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) |
| Aug | 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) |
| Sep | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) |
| Oct | 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) |
| Dec | 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) |
Met Office
China Meteorological AdministrationVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom and China. To live, work, or study long-term in China, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check China's immigration authority.
United Kingdom passport holder visiting China
Visa Free
China passport holder visiting United Kingdom
Visa Online (e-Visa)Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in China than United Kingdom?
On average China is about 64% less expensive than United Kingdom, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to China?
Budget about CN¥45,000 for 3 months in China (based on a £57,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from China?
Connectivity is usually fine (China: 47.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does China offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is China safe for expats?
United Kingdom generally does better on safety, though China leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in China is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in United Kingdom.
How is healthcare in China compared to United Kingdom?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 31.1 doctors per 10,000 people in China, compared to 33.0 in United Kingdom. China scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).
What's the weather like in China compared to United Kingdom?
The average high temperature in Beijing is 64°F, compared to 60°F in London. Beijing receives around 22.8 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. In United Kingdom, the official language is English.
